Treacle Ducks

Dear Sir,

Although I have been a keen radio constructor since a small boy and a Radio Amateur for a few years, I took to microprocessing like a duck to treacle, I don’t know what I am doing half the time. However, that is a great improvement, as when I first received my Nascom 1, I didn’t know what I was doing any of the time! (Incidentally, the hardware worked first time).

I must say that I am thoroughly enjoying myself although my garden has gone to pot and the house is falling down.

Much to my surprise and satisfaction I have managed to write 3 or 4 pretty respectable programs and when I can face the tedium of typing them out, I’ll send something to the club. Many thanks for the newsletters. I have learned a great deal by taking the programs apart and making notes in a large book. An idea I strongly recommend to anyone who is lost in the wilderness, Compile a list of subroutines which could be useful. Write ‘em, steal ‘em, test ‘em, file ‘em.

When I finally emerge from this dark period, I hope to be able to contribute something more useful to the club. Meanwhile, please keep the newsletters coming. I lie in wait here, ready to pounce on the next one.

Finally, I wish I could figure out the interfacing to external equipment. For example, I would like to count incoming random pulses against a reference external clock, thereby having a constantly updated frequency displayed, I shall enjoy developing the software (getting confident now!) but can anyone help with suggestions for the interface?

Sincerely yours,

Ray Ridgwell
Gt Torrington

Appreciation – We Love It

Dear Sir,

Many thanks for INMC No 3, packed with the same invaluable tips and those eagerly awaited programmes ............​what programmes!!

I’ve had a ball trying to land the lunar module into the deepest